The widow of one of the victims of the fatal Hwy 400 crash Tuesday night says he was a “very loving, attentive, patient and family-oriented” husband and father of nine.
Benjamin Dunn, 37, was one of the three victims who lost their lives in the fiery crash involving 14 vehicles, five commercial vehicles and at least two fuel tankers that happened around 11:30 p.m. in the northbound lanes of the highway between County Road 88 and Highway 89, about 40 kilometres south of Barrie.
Nikiyah Mulak-Dunn told Global News she was concerned when she woke up Wednesday morning and saw the news about the crash. She knew that was the route her husband takes with his truck and that the crash happened around the time her husband would be in the area.
“It was just so overwhelming and I was obviously thinking ‘oh my gosh, what is going on?'”
Mulak-Dunn said her husband would constantly check in and call on his stops or when he had to gas up his truck, so she normally would have heard from him by that morning.
A co-worker sent her a picture of the scene that appeared to show Dunn’s truck and that’s when Mulak-Dunn said she knew — they just had to wait to hear from the Ontario Provincial Police.
Dunn had been driving a truck for more than 10 years and was continually upgrading his skills, according to Mulak-Dunn, who said her husband was an excellent driver. While working as a truck driver he also managed to get a degree being a welder and would sometimes work in a mine that was out of town.
“He was a jack of all trades and was always doing what was best for his family.”
The Dunns have nine children, aging from 12 months to 16.
VIDEO: OPP Commissioner discusses some of the factors contributing to devastating crashes saying more vehicles, more distractions and the pressures of the commercial motor vehicle industry are to blame.
“It’s so raw and fresh — we want to remember him the way he was,” she said.
“He would come home from work and the children would run yelling ‘Daddy’s home,’ and he would put them on his shoulders.
“He would be home for meal times, he would drive the boys to hockey and the girls to dance classes. He was so fun to be around.
“He took his hat off from work and was just good to go — he just loved his family.”
Mulak-Dunn said that she told her children when they got home from school Thursday and that they’re all processing the loss differently.
READ MORE: Highway 400 reopens near Barrie after fiery crash that killed 3
Her six-year-old daughter decided to make a book for her dad with the help of a friend.
In the book, she drew a picture of Dunn with angel wings and wrote, “I hope I see you again in heaven, you were a really good daddy.”
The community has already stepped in to provide support for the Dunns.
A friend has set up a GoFundMe page to help cover funeral costs and whatever else the family will need.
VIDEO: Witness to Hwy 400 crash recounts fear of being surrounded by other trucks
A number of people from their church have also offered to take the boys and girls out and to get them to wherever they may need to go.
“The community has wrapped their arms around our family and loved us,” Mulak-Dunn said. “I’m just so grateful.”
Dunn was usually gone Sunday – Thursday and would work occasional weekends.
“The dynamics are completely different and I just don’t know how that’s going to roll but I’m just trying to be strong for my kids.”
The lesson, Mulak-Dunn said is that you don’t know when your time is up so, “live your life in a good way, love on people, do what’s right.
“Hug people, tell them ‘I love you’ because you never know when it’s the last time you’re ever going to see someone.”
Police believe a transport truck carrying fuel collided into another fuel tanker ahead of it and caused a massive fire.
OPP commissioner Vince Hawkes told reporters at the scene on Wednesday that it is “likely the transport truck never stopped.”
Police said investigators will be looking at human factors as well as mechanical issues to determine what exactly led to the crash.
The highway was closed in both directions beginning Tuesday night, but has been since reopened earlier Thursday morning.
—With files from David Shum
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